Brace for vehicle-springs



(Model.)

J. R. HULL. Brace for Vehicle Springs. No.. 242,539. Paented J-une 7,i881.

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liTieD STATES PATENT OFFICEa JOHN R. HULL, OF SPRING HOPE, PENNSYLVANIA.

BRACE FOR VEHICLE-SPRINGS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 242,539, dated June 7,1881.

Application filed April 4, 188]. (Model.) I

lowing is a full, clear, and exact description 1 oftheinventiomwhichwill enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make anduse the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, whichform a part of this specification, and in which- Figure lisalongitudinal vertical section of the front part of the box and part ot'th e running-gear ot' a spring-\vagon, showing my iinproved brace asapplied to the fifth-wheel. Fig. is a view of the under side ot' thewagon-box. showing a set of braces, with their adjuncts, asapplied tothe springs and running-gear, and Fig. 3 is a perspective view of one ofthe braces for the hind axle and springs detached.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all thetigures.

My invention contemplates certain improvements in the runnin g-gear ofspring wagons or vehicles; and it consists in the combination, with thewagon box or body and its springs, of a system of jointed stays orbraces, of which one brace is used for the fifth-wheel and its spring,while two braces are employed (one on each side of the box) for the hindaxle and its spring, substantially in the manner and for the purposehereinafter more fully set forth.

In the annexed drawings, A represents the wagon box or body, which maybe of any desired pattern or construction, and D is the fifth-wheel,which is suitably clipped to the front axle. (Not shown.) Eis thefrontspring.

The jointed stay or brace is composed, essentially, of two parts-viz., along arm, F, and a short arm, G, which are jointed at H. Hinged to thefree end of the short 4arm is a knuckle, I, having a projecting lip, i,which is bolted to the under side of the middle top part of the frontspring, E. rPhe long arm has at one end a knuckle, K, which is bolted tothe fth-wheel below the upper knuckle, I, and at the other end of arni Fis pivoted a knuckle, L, which is cast with a sleeve, L', in the samelongitudinal axis as arm F.

M is a plate, which is bolted to the under side of box A, and has twodownward-projecting lugs, m, between which a rod or pin, N, is iixed-that is, inserted through the sleeve L- and which is ot' such a lengththat the sleeve, with its knuckle, can play freely forward and backbetween the lugs or stops m m.

Thejoint or knuckle L at the upper end o'f F is in a line with theknuckle I at the upper end ot' G, as shown in Fig. 1.

rlhe two braces for the hind axle and its spring are constructed andarranged in substantially the same way, with the exception that aknuckle, O, of the shape shown in Fig.3 is substitutedfor the knuckle K.rlhe knuckle O has two projections, a b, at right angles to one another,and is clipped to the axle through holes made in said projections orlips. TheV constructed with a sliding knuckle, L L', and

plate M, precisely as the front brace. There are two hind braces, one ateach end of spring P, as shown in Fig. 2, and their plates M are,ofcourse, bolted to opposite sides ofthe wagon-box, in a line with themiddle plate. If desired, the hind axle may be further braced by rodsextending` from the central knuckle or joint, H, of each ofthe sidebraces, F G,out to opposite ends of the axle, to which they are securedclose to the hubs, in which case these rods would answer the samepurpose as the hounds or vbraces on a perch.

Where a perch is used, as 011 a spring-buggy, the plate M is bolted tothe under side of the box and the short arm G is bolted to the underside of the top part of the spring byits knuckle, which may be made tosuit the elevation of the box. rIhe lower end of arm F is bolted by itsknuckle to the top side of the under part of the spring.

structed of malleable strap-iron, wrought-iron,

-cast-iron, or any other suitable material, and

of any desired dimensions, the knuckles to be shaped in all cases tosuit the elevation of the wagon-box.

IOO

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings,it will readily be seen that these jointed. stays or braces preventtipping or tilting ot' the springs E and P for. ward or back, so thateach spring will work in a true vertical plane. It will further be seenthat the play of the spring up and down is limited by the play of thesliding sleeve L Ll upon piu N between its stops m m, thus avoidingbreakage by too great au upward strain on the springs. Again, it givespliability and elasticity to the whole running-gear, reduces the cost ofironing a buggy or other springvehicle, and cau be easily applied andagain removed when desired. All joints or knuckles should be soconstructed as to exclude dirt and dust, so that they may work smoothlyand easily at all times.

Having thus described my invention, I do not claim, broadly, thecombination, with a spring-supported wa gon-bed and its springs, ofjointed stays or braces adapted to slide in bearings atixed to the underside of the bed; but

I claim as my improvement and desire to secure by Letters Patentof theUnited States- Thecombination of the wagon-bedA, having the fixed plateM, provided with the stops m m and their connecting-pin N, springE, and

jointed brace F G, having at one end of its long arm F the tfth-wheel D,and at the opposite or upper end of said arm thelongitudinallyperforated hinged sleeve L and knuckle L, as shown andspecified, for the purpose set forth.

2. The combination, with the wagon-bed A, provided with a front spring,E, and hind spring, P, of a jointed front brace, F G, the long arm F ot'which is connected at one end by its knuckle K to the fifth-wheel D, andat its opposite or upper end to the knuckle L and sleeve L and twojointed hind braces arranged at opposite ends of the hind Spring, P, theinner ends ot' the said three sets of jointed braces sliding by theirhinged sleeves L upon their respective bearings M N between the stops mm, one ot' said bearings or bearing-plates being in the middle line ofthe wagon-bed and the other two on opposite sides of the sanne,substantially as and for the purpose herein shown and described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixedmy signature in presence of two witnesses.

JOHN R. HULL. Witnesses:

J EREMIAH GORDON, JAMES L. NORTON.

